What is the best way to condition for breaking?

[DWx]

Board holding is a whole other can of worms. I always end up holding boards at testing and demos, and I just hate doing it. I always get the ones that are testing, and are nervous. We hold the boards, then they get ready, then they take 13 freakin' practice runs before they finally go to hit the darn thing, and usually bounce the first time. Then, they are more nervous, so they take 13 freakin' more pracitces, and then they do 13 more for good measure, then attempt again, and BONK! By this time, my arms are dead tired from holding up boards, locking my arms out. And we still have 2 more people to break.

Two solutions to this, first get a standing holder. They can be a bit pricey to buy but believe me once you start using them you'll never go back. Pretty easy to make them too, I'm currently doing one myself (think there's also instructions for one in one of the Totally Taekwondo isssues). Other thing is limit the number of measures you allow people to do, particularly at testings. We allow one measure, one attempt to break. That's for gradings and at tournaments, if you don't break then its tough and you just have to deal with it. Personally I think it should be like this because people have to train so that they are breaking every hit; you don't get 13 tries to kick somebody's knee out or crack a rib etc. in SD.

[sensei8]

Board holding is a whole other can of worms. I always end up holding boards at testing and demos, and I just hate doing it. I always get the ones that are testing, and are nervous. We hold the boards, then they get ready, then they take 13 freakin' practice runs before they finally go to hit the darn thing, and usually bounce the first time. Then, they are more nervous, so they take 13 freakin' more pracitces, and then they do 13 more for good measure, then attempt again, and BONK! By this time, my arms are dead tired from holding up boards, locking my arms out. And we still have 2 more people to break.

13 times and then...BONK...turns into...OUCH...as on the 14th practice run they've hit you dead on your fingers.

Do 13 practice runs when I'm at the testing table and this student will be sent home...test over...fail!

[bushido_man96]

Board holding is a whole other can of worms. I always end up holding boards at testing and demos, and I just hate doing it. I always get the ones that are testing, and are nervous. We hold the boards, then they get ready, then they take 13 freakin' practice runs before they finally go to hit the darn thing, and usually bounce the first time. Then, they are more nervous, so they take 13 freakin' more pracitces, and then they do 13 more for good measure, then attempt again, and BONK! By this time, my arms are dead tired from holding up boards, locking my arms out. And we still have 2 more people to break.

13 times and then...BONK...turns into...OUCH...as on the 14th practice run they've hit you dead on your fingers.

Yeah, tell me about it!

first get a standing holder. They can be a bit pricey to buy but believe me once you start using them you'll never go back. Pretty easy to make them too, I'm currently doing one myself (think there's also instructions for one in one of the Totally Taekwondo isssues).

This would be ideal, and perhaps I can get my instructor to look into it. If one isn't that hard to build, then perhaps I can convince my dad, who is a lot more handy than I am, and has all the tools, to help me put one together. I have been downloading those mag issues, so I am sure I'll come across the article.

Other thing is limit the number of measures you allow people to do, particularly at testings. We allow one measure, one attempt to break. That's for gradings and at tournaments, if you don't break then its tough and you just have to deal with it. Personally I think it should be like this because people have to train so that they are breaking every hit; you don't get 13 tries to kick somebody's knee out or crack a rib etc. in SD.

I agree with you 10000000% here. Unfortunately, its not my class, or my school, so I just get to nod and say "yes sir!"

In my early ATA days, our rule was set it up, take a practice run or two, and then you break. And if your practice run touched the board, it counted as an attempt. Two attemtps per station, and that was it.

Now, with how the attempts plays out, I like it and I don't. For one thing, it shows that they have a grasp on all aspects of a technique; speed, power, and especially distancing. However, if a student has a great testing, and then bonks on the boards, does the weight of the scoring the board break end up failing them? In some places, yeah. In others, maybe not.

Should failed board breaks = no change at testing?

[joesteph]

Now, with how the attempts plays out, I like it and I don't. For one thing, it shows that they have a grasp on all aspects of a technique; speed, power, and especially distancing. However, if a student has a great testing, and then bonks on the boards, does the weight of the scoring the board break end up failing them? In some places, yeah. In others, maybe not.

Should failed board breaks = no change at testing?

I found out from the assistant instructor that, in Soo Bahk Do, if all has gone well with the test until the board break, and the board is not broken after three tries, the person can got for the board break again one month later in order to pass. The whole test doesn't have to be redone.

[tallgeese]

Depends on how much weight your schools gives such things.

Personally, I think promotion should be based on the entirety of the process and a less than adequate performance in one category shouldn't necessarily mean a total failure.

Some schools will value certain things more and therefore these things will be given more weight on the overall score. Depends on where that particular skill set falls in importance to each club. We have skills divided into primary, secondary, and tertiary skills. With higher priority in competence and training time given accordingly. So by extension, they are weighed differently on tests.

While breaking doesn't fall anywhere on our list, the principle is the same for how it would be viewed in a given school.

[Tiger1962]

Depends on how much weight your schools gives such things.

Personally, I think promotion should be based on the entirety of the process and a less than adequate performance in one category shouldn't necessarily mean a total failure.

I agree with you here.

As far as doing a re-break for a test, let's say you're in a situation where part of the blame of your inability to break was on behalf of the holder. (see above posts on holder responsibility) - well then, because of someone's less than adequate holding responsibility, the student has to re-break and can only hope they get a good board holder for their re-break. I mean, this could go on!

I don't think breaking should be part of a testing cycle at all. To me, the whole act of breaking boards is something for entertainment, flash, dazzle and NOT for testing or a means to judge one's capabilities. One can be an outstanding martial artist in all areas except breaking.

[joesteph]

I don't think breaking should be part of a testing cycle at all. To me, the whole act of breaking boards is something for entertainment . . .

I believe that the origin of board breaking was to encourage the student. It isn't any more a part of an art than breaking bricks would be. Breaking should be a fun part of training, and a learning experience for both breaker and holder.

[Tiger1962]

For me and people my own age that I trained with, it wasn't a learning experience nor a fun part of training; and, speaking to people my age that I meet up with regularly at events, I've learned it was nothing but a source of frustration and more to them.

....and these are people who are Dan members who are fantastic at either forms and/or sparring. From what I've witnessed, I think the kids get more of a thrill out of it than the adults I've spoken to.

[bushido_man96]

For me and people my own age that I trained with, it wasn't a learning experience nor a fun part of training; and, speaking to people my age that I meet up with regularly at events, I've learned it was nothing but a source of frustration and more to them.

....and these are people who are Dan members who are fantastic at either forms and/or sparring. From what I've witnessed, I think the kids get more of a thrill out of it than the adults I've spoken to.

At the same time, if it is seen as frustrating, it could also be seen as a challenge, and therefore that could be why it is included in the tests. I think it is also a good way to demonstrate concentration, focus, and power in technique.

[DWx]

I don't think breaking should be part of a testing cycle at all. To me, the whole act of breaking boards is something for entertainment, flash, dazzle and NOT for testing or a means to judge one's capabilities. One can be an outstanding martial artist in all areas except breaking.

See I have to disagree here. Unless you have a suitable replacement for everything it demonstrates, it should be a part of testing and training in striking styles.

Breaking demonstrates loads of things:

- accuracy. You have hit in the right place to get the material to break. No good trying to punch somebody in the temple, swinging and missing.

- conditioning.. to break you have to have conditioned your body so it can withstand the impact as a technique connects, again in SD you don't want to punch somebody but end up incapacitating your hand because you haven't built up anything on your knuckles and don't know how to hold your fist for impact.

- good technique. I can't stress enough how board breaking demonstrates this. To go through the boards you have to know exactly what you are hitting with and where the line if power is and follow through the technique from start to finish. I've seen loads of people try to kick, get to the "chamber" position and then hesitate.. results in them just stabbing the board rather than piercing through it becuase the momentum has been lost.

- its quantitative assesment of how much power you can generate. The majority of us do not do full contact, anything goes fighting. How then, can you really assess how much power is generated? You can sort of tell by eye what someone is doing or on pads you can sort of guess but boards, particularly the manufactured plastic type, give you a real indication of what you can do. I know myself that I can generate 150lbs + with a knifehand.. from doing it on boards. That makes me a lot more confident in that if someone comes at me, I have 150lbs+ of pressure to slam into their neck.

Breaking is something I really am for so I could probably bore you all day with why everyone should do it but for me these are the main reasons..